Risk Perception and Psychological Distress Triggered by COVID-19 Pandemic

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Date

2021-02

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Publisher

AAU

Abstract

This study tried to describe the effect of COVID-19 in risk perception and psychological distress, with objective of exploring the extent of risk perception and psychological distress triggered by COVID-19 among clients in three selected public health centers in Addis Ababa. To that effect, a quantitative research design was employed. Epi info version seven used to determine sample size of the study which was a total of 384 participants were selected. In order to address the basic research questions of the study, data were analyzed using SPSS, t-test, and ANOVA and Pearson correlation statistical techniques. Accordingly, the study revealed important findings about risk perception and psychological distress. Majority of the clients heard about the corona virus through Facebook and telegram, with rgard to the risk perception of the clients the total average mean that participants on this study had moderate or lower level of risk perception and with regard to the level of psychological distress, the study revealed that the total average mean indicate the level of psychological distress triggered by COVID-19 was moderate. It was observed that statistically there were significant differences among clients on the the extent of psychological distress triggered by the outbreak of Corona Virus. The result of correlation coefficient between the two variables (r = 0.782, p = 0.000<0.05) indicated that there was statistically significant relashinship between risk perception to covid-19 and psychological distress due to covid-19 pandemic. The magnitude of correlation coefficient (r = 0.782) approved that the relashinship between them was high and directly correlated

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Keywords

Risk perception, Psychological distress

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